mourners gather at the same church to say good-bye to 6-year-old jessica rekos. a girl who loved horses and whales. several wakes are being held this evening for victim's of friday's massacre, including one for teacher vicki soto who is being called a hero for shielding students from the gunman. the memorials for the students and teachers grow each day. well wishers from all over are coming to pay their respects. some lit candles. others put ornaments on charlie manuel trees. many wonder how the families will get through the holidays. >> can you imagine? that's where my heart goes out to. i can't imagine having to wake up christmas morning. i wouldn't want to. >> reporter: newtown is slowly trying to return to normal. some schools other than sandy hook reopened for the first time since the shooting. buses carrying children drove on to school grounds. the buses had green and white ribbons on the front. sandy hook's colors. but police kept one elementary school closed as a precaution after they received threats. >> i will always be worried.

but now it's very, very bad. >> reporter: children at sandy hook have not yet returned to school. when they do it will be at a school in the nearby town of monroe. in newtown, connecticut, randall pinkston, wjz eyewitness news. >> and for the first time since the shooting the nra releases a statement. the group says its members are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. a news conference is scheduled for friday. family members say the gunman, adam lanza, had battled mental health problems for most of his life. what can we do stop these mass killings? well, wjz has live complete coverage with adam may with more on calls to improve health care. >> reporter: experts say if we do not do more to improve access to mental health care, another school massacre is virtually guaranteed. it's been widely reported school shooter adam lanza suffered some kind of personality disorder. but it's still unclear if his family ever tried to get him help to prevent him from

turning violent. >> do we want connecticut to happen again three times? four times? five times? ever again? never. >> reporter: linda kohler ask a mental health advocate in baltimore. her organization overwhelmed by requests for help every day. >> a mother wanted a teenager to go to a psychiatrist. they could not get in to see someone for six weeks. >> reporter: from the mass shooting in tucson aimed at former congresswoman gab result give orders to the colorado movie theater massacre, killers in many recent mass killings suffered mental illness and failed to get the appropriate treatment. funding for mental health care in the u.s. has been slashed for decades. down almost $2 billion since 2009. maryland's funding down 4%. ken ullman critical of the cuts. >> i think that mental health has been something that has not gotten the support and resources that it needs. there is a lot of troubled folks out there. we have a culture of violence

and, you know, you never know what gets in the head of somebody who is not well. >> reporter: over the years many institutions for the mentally ill have disappeared leaving more families to deal with sick children at home. >> mental health problems affect one in ten children. >> reporter: maryland's first lady has made educating parents about their options a priority. but advocates say mental health care needs appropriate funding to prevent another sandy hook. >> what is happening now is going to be rippled throughout our communities for years to come if we don't address it now. >> reporter: despite the cuts to funding, maryland is on the forefront of some pilot programs for mental health care and ranked one of the best in the entire country. adam may, wjz eyewitness news. >> and you can check in for complete coverage of the tragedy in newtown, connecticut. we will continue to bring you the latest on the victims and the investigation.

baltimore city is dealing with another violent attack after a woman allegedly pulls a knife at a middle school. wjz is live at the national academy foundation in east baltimore where this unfolded. investigator mike hellgren details the response. >> reporter: a school employee confronted this woman because she never checked in at the front desk and that's when school administrators say she attacked. the second violent encounter on a baltimore citi campus in a week happened here at national academy foundation. a woman was buzzed into the locked doors of the prep building where middle schoolers attend classes. but administrators say she failed to check in at the front office. they say she was delivering a birthday cake to a relative when a schoolworker challenged her in the hall. she pulled out a knife, cutting the worker's hands and was later arrested. it alarmed a grandmother of a student here who asked wjz not to identify her. >> i feel fearful for my grandson also. now you have to go through a

procedure before he can come out, and i think it's good. >> reporter: she is concerned about outsiders gaining access to classrooms following the shooting in connecticut. >> there is no explaining it away. it's just -- it's awful. it's gut wrenching. >> reporter: school officials would not say why the person was originally buzzed in through the door and how it all escalated into a weapon being pulled. it follows an attack on a seventh grader at cowher town middle school last week who said adults, including another parent aloud on campus, beat her and she ran an errand at the principal's office. >> i don't know what a parent can say to a child that this happens to. there is really nothing you can say. >> reporter: city schools ceo dr. alonzo urged vigilance to keep children safe. >> it's a punch in the gut. it's a situation where every parent across the country is struck. we have to keep school safety on the front burner. >> reporter: and we learned tonight of yet another incident

at city schools at friendship academy. a student had a plastic bb-gun on campus that was taken away and that student now faces disciplinary action. vic, back to you. >> thank you. and nearby in milford, delaware a 16-year-old was charged with bringing a loaded concealed shotgun to high school in his car. police say he did not threaten anyone and now is in his parents' custody. health concerns on the campus of the university of maryland baltimore county. school sent home a letter to students and famty confirming that somebody on campus has tuberculosis. it is not clear if it's a student or a staff member or where they contracted the disease. tuberculosis is an airborne disease in the lungs. the person is in isolation now being treated. by plane, train and road tens of thousands of marylanders and millions of americans are getting ready to head out for the holidays. wjz is live on the beltway. christy with more on the big rush. >> reporter: hey there, vic. the auto club says travel by

car, plane and train is up this season. no matter what mode of transportation you use, aaa says millions of marylanders will get away. for evan mcewan, the trip home for the holidays has already started. >> about 100 miles. >> reporter: he is headed to philly by car. >> i enjoy the drive. the gas here is better than it is in philly. it's not too far. >> reporter: triple-a says it's the highest travel volume forecasted for the area in a decade. travel by plane, train and car are all up this year. >> that's a 1.2% increase over last year. >> reporter: aaa says 90% of maryland travelers will hit the roads and drive further this christmas and new year's holiday with the average round trip being 765 miles compared to the 747 last year. some marylanders are already bracing for a long drive. >> it's like an hour and ten minute drive. >> reporter: on the flip side, the auto club says that gas prices are the highest they have ever been heading into the christmas holiday. >> the holiday is the holiday.

we go whether the gas is $4 a gallon or $3 a gallon. >> reporter: even bwi marshall airport says they're bracing for an uptick in passengers saying they have seen increasing passenger traffic over 2012 and they expect the growth to translate into a busy december. >> christmas, much like thanksgiving, is one of those holidays where people really want to be with family and friends. it's the end of the year and they want to get away and they tend to do that. >> reporter: and marylanders tell us gas prices, airfare not even the proverbial looming fiscal cliff will stop them from seeing their loved ones. and aaa says holiday travel for both christmas and new year's officially kicks off this weekend. reporting live in baltimore county, eyewitness news. >> kristy, thank you. this marks the fourth consecutive year holiday travel will increase nationwide and of course here in maryland. updating the breaking news from last hour, hundreds of homes near the baltimore city line dealing with water problems right now because of a contractor struck a waterline for a water tank on simmons

avenue. about 2600 homes in that region have water pressure problems or no water tonight. crews have isolated the break. they are making repairs right now. well, what a fabulous change in the weather in the last 24 hours. a live look outside right now. the fog is long since gone. it was a very nice december evening. there is santa again. every night he is somewhere different. the guy gets around. wjz is live with coverage. bob. >> that guy gets around, doesn't he? it's amazing. he is on a v-6 tonight. let's look at radar. nothing around here. cleared very, very nicely overnight, this morning. down in the 40s, however. it has cooled down and there is a bit of a breeze. to the west much lighter. but still up the 22 with wind gusts now still at 25-26. as you can see down in ocean

city at 29. it will eventually calm down tonight, but it will be a lot cooler than it was last night. bernadette woods with those temperatures. >> it will be a colder night tonight it was another warm one today. look at the temperatures right now. still 47 degrees in baltimore. still 50 in d.c. these are above our average highs. i want to show you with perspective to the average what it looks like. the average right now in baltimore is 44 degrees. we topped out at 59 degrees today. the record is 72. we were closer to that than the average. now, we are going to remain above average tomorrow before big change comes in our weather pattern. colder air arriving this weekend and we will have that forecast coming up. back inside. >> thank you. the future of maryland's horseracing industry has been decided. derek valcourt explains it's a long-term solution to what has been a bitter battle between track owners and the states horse men. >> reporter: after years of contentious debate, all sides have come together and agreed

on a lengthy contract that will allow horseracing to continue here in maryland for the next decade. >> they're off in the preakness. >> for horseracing fans it's about one thing. >> just the thrill of it. >> reporter: and that thrill will now continue in maryland until at least the year 2022. that's thanks to a new agreement approved by the maryland racing commission tuesday. under the deal maryland will see a total of 146 live racing days in 2013, and at least 100 days of live racing for the next nine years after that. >> this is a very significant moment for the racing industry in maryland. you'll remember this a decade from now. >> reporter: alan foreman with the thoroughbred horseman's association says it should give horse men and breeders a bright future and great purses to compete for. the new financial arrangement will allow them to make improvement to their aging facilities, knowing that they will get a run on their money.

the agreement ends years of debate between the two groups over how to save the state's struggling racing industry. >> there is no more conflict. there is no more animosity. we can get down to the business of running the racetrack and do the best for racing. >> reporter: local fans thrilled to hear their horseracing home is safe for the next 10 years. >> these people were -- i think i'm glad they got it. i wish they'd double it. >> reporter: racing for 2013 is set to begin here in laurel right at january 1st. racing will begin at pimleco april 4th. derek valcourt, wjz eyewitness news. the 138th running of the preakness stakes is saturday the 18th. still to come on wjz eyewitness news. >> giving back. that's what this ravens player is all about. i'm rochelle richie. i will tell you who it is coming up next. >> danger on the front lines.

a well known war correspondent abducted in syria. what happened it to richard engle and his crew. >> holiday tragedy days before christmas. a baltimore county family loses everything in a house fire. >> chilly weather moving this way. stick around for the updated weather forecast. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

it is maybely clear, 47 degrees in central maryland right now. the complete first warning forecast is coming up.

a fast moving fire in dundalk leaves a family of six homeless tonight. as mike schuh reports, a quick thinking maybe may have prevented it from being worse. >> reporter: here's what it sounds like when firefighters must evacuate this burning home. that horn confirmed what bystanders feared. this fire in dundalk was dangerous, big, and getting worse. >> there was a call for a mayday but it was a mistake. the firefighter was in the rear of the building. nobody knew where he was. they found him. it was okay. >> reporter: when it started two kids were home alone watching tv. luckily, neighbor ed hurley was out walking his dog. >> two kids came running out and said a fire. i went around real quick. they tried to go back in and get the cat or something and i told them no. >> reporter: judging how quick smoke turned to fire, he might have saved their lives. >> it was like it exploded. >> reporter: the girlfriend who lives here tells a neighbor she believes the fire started in a clothes drier. the fire department is yet to

weigh in on a cause. the house is gutted. children's toys lay ruined. this is a tough time of year to lose what you have. that's why denise is dropping off what she has as nothing inside here is usable. >> just so much has been happening. i just felt the need do it. >> reporter: unable to return, the family of six is now living with relatives around the corner. ed and his wife are collecting donations. >> you would do the same thing if you did this. . >> a maybe has started a facebook page to collect donations to help the family. the investigation into the cause of a fire in cambridge. 21 people are were hospitalized after escaping that fire. the building included a clothing store on the first floor and eight total apartments on the second and third floors. giving back. that's what one ravens player is about this holiday season. dozens are children are a

little happier after anquan boldin takes them shopping. rochelle richshy was there for the shopping spree and a life lesson. >> reporter: it's a round of applause for ravens wide receiver anquan boldin. thanks to bowden and his foundation, 281, dozens of students from the school of maryland are one step closer to completing their christmas shopping list. >> it's great and kind. >> reporter: boldin's foundation made the season more affordable for these kids by handing out $100 gift cards to use in the aisles of walmart on washington boulevard. >> a lot of times people aren't able to afford different things at christmas time. so we're trying to extend our hand as much as possible. >> reporter: he started the 281 foundation during his sophomore year with the ravens and the entire idea behind the foundation is to give back to under privileged kids. 75 of the best and brightest students were chosen to stop. >> give a whole lot extra in class every day. and you should be rewarded for

that. >> reporter: while video games and beauty products may be on the minds of many. >> how much is that, do you know? >> reporter: some say it's a good lesson in budgeting. >> usually i don't look at prices because i am a teenager. now it's his money and my money i am spending. i am going to like look at the prices now and like make it all fit and make it work. >> reporter: boldin's foundation does this every year. and much of it is made possible through donations. vic, back to you. >> thank you. and the ravens are hoping for their own christmas gift this weekend. a winner of the giants -- a win over the giants means they win the division again. >> we all hope they do it, too. >> yes. all right. it's going to be a chilly weekend, by the way. it will be quite cool on sunday. it's cooling down after a very warm afternoon. 47 out west. a look at that midweek and end of week forecast right after this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

i am mark. happy holidays from wjz. i wonder which street that would be. >> malden avenue, maybe? >> no idea. onc. pardon me. must be a local, all right? a guy from new york. a guy from rock chest he. welcome home. >> let's take a look at temps and conditions. 47. breezy. 36 in oakland and 53 in ocean

city and 50 in washington. locally, temperatures -- ranging through 40s. still pretty mild out there. west winds now at 16. still 22. 50 in ocean city and beginning to calm down a little bit. 7 here in hagerstown. we have had some highers gusts up to 25. 30. even higher in a few spots this afternoon. the rain and the clouds and the fog all off to the north of us now taking a little pressure with it. northern vermont, northern new hampshire saw a little bit and maine, northern maine getting some snow right now as that storm moves away. still raining over portions of new york state. we could have a little system from ohio moving across the great lakes. will not impact us but will keep us in mild air because of that low pressure. this one is going to weaken and really not do anything. may bring us a few clouds and a bit of a breeze tomorrow. the more important thing is nice weather for wednesday. thursday another area of low

pressure. very deep storm developing out there. on the back side of it snow in wisconsin, iowa, portions of nebraska and meningitis. could be near blizzard conditions. very tight isobars. chicago will get very windy on thursday. this will pass well to the north and west which means we will be on the warm side of it. however, once the front passes it, late thursday, friday we will get back into the colder air eventually. it will change to snow showers and they could see several inches, probably a white christmas in garrett county. from frostberg west and the neighboring counties into west virginia. thursday night, friday and saturday a winter storm watch for those folks. we are talking about the higher elevations. some are, you know, 3,000 feet up. 2,000 feet up. could see five, six, seven inches of lake effect snow, which would stay on the ground

for christmas. it will be that cold. west winds 10 knots on the bay. the bay temp around 47. tonight clear, partly cloudy. it's colder than last night. we were at 45 last night. 34 tonight. tomorrow sun and clouds. nice day but still mild for this time of year. high of only 53. a normal high is 44. so way above average tomorrow. >> rain comes in late thursday. >> okay. thank you, bob. still to come tonight on wjz eyewitness news, breaking gender stereotypes. how the easy bake oven is changing along with the times. >> closer to a deal? intense negotiations to avert the fiscal cliff with just two weeks before it's too late. >> the tragedy? newtown in the wake of a mass murder in maryland. new legislation on ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

it is just before 6:30. mostly clear and 47 degrees. good evening everyone. thanks for staying with wjz. more funerals for the victims of the sandy hook elementary school

massacre in newtown, connecticut. the families and friends of two more children gathered for a final farewell. schools in newtown reopened with the exception of sandy hook. 20 children, 6 adults were gunned down in the school last friday. police still trying to determine a motive. 20-year-old adam lanza took his own life at the end of this rampage. maryland lawmakers are looking at ways to limit the availability of assault weapons. wjz is live political reporter pat warren with what the new legislation could look like. >> reporter: that's right. governor o'malley says there are several elements to be considered in gun control legislation. the maryland general assembly is expected to do more than talk about gun control this session. governor o'malley expects some kind of legislation. he briefed reporters this morning on the area of concern. laws relating to guns and limiting the number of rounds in a magazine, limiting the access of the mentally ill, and school safety. >> it's just hard to to conclude that these guns should be in the hands of anyone who isn't a

soldier on a battlefield or on a law enforcement officer sent into a tactical situation. >> reporter: in 2004, lawmakers attempting to ban assault weapons in maryland enlisted the help of cease fire maryland. >> this is a replica of a military m-16 assault rifle. that could basicallyically kill as many people as possible. >> reporter: governor o'malley expects lawmakers to be more inclined to act. >> we need to find a way to rescue some good for the future at this irreplaceable loss that the moms and dads have suffered in connecticut. >> reporter: he downplayed the influence of the nra in the upcoming debate. that specifically is the maryland debate on gun safety. he is also saying his administration is likely to introduce a bill, but that will be in addition to several other bills that are expected to be introduced, including one from some senators that's an all out ban on assault weapons. denise. >> thank you very much, pat.

the nra is planning to announce what it calls meaningful contributions to prevent more violence during a news conference they will hold friday. a man accused of another mass shooting appears in court again. nay day hassan faced a judge today. the amy psychiatrist who once worked in maryland is charged with 13 people at ft. hood in texas back in 2009. nbc's chief foreign correspondent and his crew escaped from kidnappedders in syria. they escaped last night during a firefight. they were abducted last thursday, held for five days and subjected to mock executions. engle believes they were held by a militia group loyal to the syrian president. there are signs lawmakers may be closer to making a deal on avoiding the fiscal cliff. danielle nottingham reports for

wjz from washington with more on president obama's latest offer to prevent tax hikes for all americans. >> reporter: house speaker john boehner met with fellow republicans this morning to discuss president obama's fiscal cliff proposal. the speaker also began work on a so-called plan b to prevent a tax increase in case he does not reach a deal with the white house before january 1. >> our plan b would protect the american taxpayers who make a $1 million or less. >> reporter: the white house quickly rejected boehner's back-up proposal. >> the fall back so-called plan b that has been put out there is, you know, achieves nothing. you would lose hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue. >> reporter: the president initially insisted on letting tax cuts expire for households making $250,000 or more. but the new white house counter proposal raises that threshold to $400,000. and for the first time the president is willing to accept some reduction in future cost of living benefit increases for

social security recipients. in addition to his negotiations with the president, boehner has another challenge. convincing gop conservatives to accept any increases in income taxes. many republicans believe tax increases will hurt small businesses. this man is willing to pay his share of higher taxes if he gets something in return. >> there has to be a form of entitlement. there has to be at the least reduction in spending in terms of federal government spending. >> reporter: even though the fiscal cliff deadline is the end of the year, congress still needs time to vote on a deal to avoid taxes going up for all americans and across the board spending cuts. in washington, danielle nottingham, wjz eyewitness news. >> a new cbs news poll shows only about half of all americans believe a deal will be made before the end of the year. police are investigating the thefts of two iphones at the towson town center mall. in both cases police say teens

snatched the phones from the hands of victims while they were using them. the suspects then ran into the parking garages. police say people should be aware of their surroundings at all times. z. gas prices are at the lowest level in a year. refineries are back online following superstorm sandy and stockpiles are at an eight- month high. the u.s. is also boosting domestic oil production. in fact, 83% of energy being consumed is from the u.s. here's a look at the prices here in maryland according to aaa right now. we are paying an average of $3.27 a gallon for regular. that's down from $3.41 this time last month. however, we are a nickel higher than this time last year. a quick look at some of the stories you will find in tomorrow's edition of "the baltimore sun." more on governor o'malley's statements today about possible gun control legislation.

you can try out intricate dessert sculptures created by a local pastry chef. read tomorrow's baltimore sun and look for the updated forecast from wjz's weather team. toy maker hasbro will start making gender-neutral easy bake ovens that appeal to all children. jessica car dahlia with more on the girl's campaign. >> girls aren't the only ones who are supposed to cook. is in the message we want to send to our youth. >> reporter: with that message and thousands of signatures, 13-year-old mckenna pope of new jersey got the attention of executives at hasbro. now mckenna has convinced them to change the color of the easy bake oven, making it more gender neutral. >> i want a dine sour easy bake oven. >> reporter: mckenna said it all started when her little brother, a budding chef, asked for an easy bake oven for christmas. but because of the color he changed his mind.

chefs agree. simon keating, a chef at a high-end restaurant, says he would never have want today cook on a pink or purple oven. >> definitely not. it would have been red or blue or black maybe. >> reporter: in response, hasbro now says it will change the color scheme making a new easy bake in black and silver with boys and girls on the packaging. jessica kartalija, wjz eyewitness news. >> and the new easy bake ovens will likely be on store shelves next sum. >> too late for this christmas, but there you go. still to come tonight on wjz eyewitness news remembering one of the longest serving senators in history. >> looking ahead to the weekend, big trouble. >> and wjz 13 is always on. here are the top stories for this hour for updates on the this hour for updates on the day's news and forecast, log on,

a man in colorado shoots three people before taking his own life. 911 dispatchers say a woman called this morning to report a shooting. they heard her cream screaming and then a shot was fired.

a man picked up the phone and said he would kill himself before another shot raincoat. police have not identified the shooter or victim. a robber drives into a video game store in connecticut. the thief took iphones and ipads before taking off on foot. the store owners are dealing now with stolen merchandise and major damage. police have not released if they have found a suspect. hawaiian senator daniel inouye passed away monday. his colleagues in the senate honored the 88-year-old who was far more than just a politician. >> reporter: democrat daniel inouye was the second longest serving u.s. senator and the third in line for the presidency. he was also the first japanese-american to serve in congress and a world war ii hero. >> all of us in hawaii looked up to him and we are so sad to see

him go. >> reporter: inouye was born in hawaii in 1924 and dreamed of being a surgeon. but he heard the call to arms when japanese planes flew over his home to bomb pearl harbor. he served in italy and there lost an arm to a german grenade, leading a battle that won him the medal of honor. >> everything became a by the crazy. bullets flying all over the place and my arm flew off. i looked for the grenade because i knew it was in my hand. and there it was still clutched. and i peeled it off and i threw it at the enemy. >> reporter: inouye was elected to the u.s. house of representatives in 1959. the same year hawaii became a state. he won a seat in the senate three years later where he served eight and a half terms. >> he was a man who, as we all know, rarely called attention to himself. but who lived a remarkable american life filled with dignity and grace of the true hero that he was.

>> reporter: he gained notoriety when he served on the senate committee looking into the watergate scandal. the probe ultimately led to president nixon's resignation. in a statement president obama said, "our country has lost a true american hero." >> inouye also served as chair of the congressional panel during the iran contra affair investigating allegations, top members of the reagan administration facilitated the sale of weapons to iran. parts of a soviet submarine have been found in the swedish island of oland. the swedish armed forces say that the sub was probably destroyed by one of those bombs. the submarine was reported missing in 1941. a group of divers was the first to find it over 70 years later. well, here is a look at tonight's closing numbers from wall street. we will be right back. ,,,,,,,,,

what a difference 24 hours

makes. a live look outside right now. a pleasant mid december live. meteorologist bernadette woods and bob turk updating the forecast. >> it's going to be a cool one tonight. we are going down into the 30s. seasonably cold with the wind dying down somewhat. tomorrow afternoon sunshine. patchy clouds. a bit of a breeze at times. 54 for the time. above average. tomorrow night still above average but that's going to be changing. for more on that she's bob. >> winter arrives friday morning officially, yes, and it will feel pretty chilly. 53 sunshine. a few clouds tomorrow. rain on thursday. could be some moderate rain late in the day or at night, ending and clearing out. windy friday. 46. 34. down to 44 on saturday. and only 40, probably upper 30s saturday and sunday in some of the colder areas with partly cloudy skies. still kind of breezy into saturday and maybe even on sunday. denise. >> thank you, bob. in just about a week it's time for santa claus. well before the big guy arrives

on christmas, in some homes his elves come to visit to see who is being naughty and sometimes they get into a little trouble. paul a eben has the story. >> reporter: this little guy is about as popular as his boss. santa claus. >> this is crazy. that's what i love about him. >> for the ver tara family in lexington, they can't wait until chewy, reggie, and lukabroti arrive for the holidays. >> the elf arrives thanksgiving night. >> reporter: he arrives to see who is being naughty or nice. at night he flies back to the north pole to report to santa and this mischievous elf turns up in a new spot every morning. >> gingerbread house is in pieces. it's in like a pretend share with sunglasses on. fishing in the toilet. >> oh, they got into the booze. >> my husband and i were more into it than jack was at the time. >> reporter: and they are not alone. check out glitter under the

tree. jack tied up by the other toys. alphie got into the markers. and buddy started a card game on the mantle. the visiting elf is an old tradition, but it took off thanks to this book co-authored by a woman with a striking similarity to mrs. claus. >> we are just so blessed that people have embraced it and made it their own, which was our goal from the beginning. >> reporter: it's now a family tradition for millions. >> this was way beyond anything that i anticipated. >> reporter: when asked who is more fun, santa or the elves? >> that's a very hard decision. >> well, the elves will disappear christmas eve right after santa delivers his toys and will return next thanksgiving that is if you have not been naughty. >> in my home growing up, there were five of us. of course, we were at it all year round. still to come the ravens look to lock up the division. >> what do they need to work

on? stan has sports ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

stan is in for mark tonight with the sports report as the ravens get ready to play again. >> as they get ready to not try and go with the blame game on pass nonsuccessors. you know what folks? in the team's 16 year history

has there ever been so suspect a 9-5 ravens squad. one that currently shakes off the suffocating quicksand of a losing skid. lest we forget those purple birds got into the playoffs thanks to a steelers loss last sunday but not really earning it outright themselves. for the fourth consecutive week here they go again echoing the same battle cry, one win we're in. head coach john harbaugh says he is responsible for a lot of these on-the-field sputterings as preps intensify for sunday's visit by the on again, off again defending champion new york giants. they are fight to go get in the playoffs. >> ultimately, it's all on me. yeah. sure. i think as a head coach that's your responsibility. so it's my job to get us in the best position to play the best we can and get our team ready and motivated and, you know, just like all of them. we own that. so disappointed with how we

have played the past couple weeks because there hasn't been a way to win. but i am proud of the way we fight. i am proud of the way we compete. we will take that, all that into next week and see how we do. >> meantime, let's backtrack to last night. following a five-turnover performance by mark sanchez, new york jets quarterback, he had four interceptions and a fumble against tennessee. this loss last night by the jets 14-10 to tennessee eliminated them from playoff contention. today the winds have changed. sanchez has been benched in favor of greg mcilroy. that was announced by rex ryan several hours ago. no decision on whether tim tebow becomes the second string signal caller. meantime, college hoops. milestone for syracuse university jimmy boeheim. his team's 72-68 victory over detroit gave boeheim his 900 career win. he has been part of the syracuse family since 1962 rand is the third -- and is the third

division i coach to reach 900. finally, kendrick perkins of the oklahoma city thunder against san antonio last night was the worst follow through on a shot since your drunk uncle willie messed up everything in the bowling alley. look at that shot. look at that follow through. that's aiming the ball. oklahoma city won it. they are on an 11 game winning streak and own the nba's best record at 20-4. everybody had a drunk uncle willie, right? >> not uncle willie. but a drunk uncle. >> from time to time, i guess. >> thank you, stan. >> be right back. ,,,,,,,,

don't miss the cbs prime time lineup tonight. at 10 it is the episode of vegas followed of course by eyewitness news at 11. it's an honor being the oldest person. it now belongs to a manfra -- a

man from japan. he was 16 years old when the wright brothers flew for the first time. he attributes longevity to sunlight, keeping your mind sharp and says it's never too late to learn something new. british troops in afghanistan show off their creativity with their own gangnam style video. as you see, they take on the worldwide hit, including some christmas touches. the soldiers say it took three months to put together the video. it being used as part of a fundraiser for a mountain rescue team in england. >> thanks for watching. here,, >> pelley: tonight, back to school. classrooms in newtown reopen as more children are laid to rest.

reports from jim axelrod and bob orr. elaine quijano with some of the first responders at the crime scene. >> i was almost wishing that it was full of injured people. i never -- nobody. >> pelley: higher taxes are coming but who should pay them? nancy cordes talks to the speaker of the house about his negotiations with the president. and elizabeth palmer in dunblane scotland, one place that knows newtown's long road to recovery all too well. >> i think out of the most tragic circumstances some good does appear. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening, more parents than usual walked with their kids as the schools of newtown reopened today. when a family met the stepped-up security there wasn't a sense of fear but a sense of moving